Located downtown in the canal-side Indiana Historical Society, this gift shop has it all when it comes to products related to the state of Indiana in any way – particularly books by or about Indiana residents and history, as well as maps and other historical items. Traditional visual arts like hand-blown glass and Amish-made products make great gifts, as do the resources for the family history buff in your tribe. Many items can be purchased online.

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Almost 13 years old, this symphony is an impressive and electrifying ensemble of winds and percussion. How’s that for a ringing endorsement? The ensemble is made up of seventy members and includes professional musicians, music educators and serious vocational musicians. The ensemble performs at Carmel’s Center for the Performing Arts.

This orchestra draws its repertoire primarily from the 17th and 18th centuries — the times of Bach, Handel and Vivaldi in the late Baroque — back to Monteverdi in the early Baroque. Its members represent a collaboration of musicians from Indiana's top professional and academic institutions that perform on original instruments or recently made replicas. Its concert season includes working with other performing arts organizations, including Ensemble Voltaire, Indianapolis Children's Choir, Christ Church Cathedral’s Choir of Men and Boys, Indianapolis Baroque Singers and soloists Steven Stolen and Steven Rickards.

ICO's featured soloists represent a beautiful boiling pot of internationally recognized artists and superior young talent. It also is recognized for commissioning new works and performing world and American premieres. The orchestra of 35 professional musicians provides accompaniment to local arts, educational and religious organizations, including Indianapolis Opera, Indianapolis Symphonic Choir, American Pianists Association and Butler University Ballet. Education programs include pre-concert talks and The Children's Museum of Indianapolis summer series. And teachers, listen up... you can book the ICO to perform at your school.

Broad Ripple’s best music source is a small space taking big advantage of its prime location and its enthusiastic clientele to provide the village with a comprehensive stock of vinyl and CDs appealing to a range of tastes that includes local artists. This is the place to find out who’s playing what and where. Great in-store performances supply the under-21 crowd with some of the best live music (and cheap) options available, as well as appealing to those old enough to drink beer.

If the other bike shops make you feel just a little intimidated when you roll up on your Huffy, relax. Indy Cycle is for you. No bike snobbery and very little spandex, this is old school, commuter and mountain biking. (Though avid riders and racers are welcome too!) Need help moving the little prince or princess up from training wheels? This is the place. Thinking about using the bike lanes to commute to work instead of driving? Start here.

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The Indy Folk Series is a nonprofit venture featuring acoustic music in a coffeehouse setting. Inside the comfortable space, you'll hear local and touring artists playing music spanning Celtic, folk, roots, swing, acoustic jazz and bluegrass. Held in the Unitarian Universalist Church of Indianapolis, these refreshment-providing concerts are held once per month on Saturday evenings.

When Indy Reads Books opened its doors in July, 2012, it saved downtown Indy from a dreary, bookstore-less existence. The inventory is donation-based and rotates quickly, so you’ll always find something new and interesting, usually for less than $10. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, or you’re hoping for something brand new, the mostly-volunteer staff can order it for you straight from the publishers. Added bonus: all the profits from IRB support Indy Reads, to promote literacy and provide tutoring for their 1,500 adult students.